by Brittany Reese
When our former director of operations, Joel Smith, passed away in 2018, his family and friends donated to the Institute to establish a leadership award in his honor. Thanks to the efforts of our development team and the support of donors, the award has recently been endowed. The University of Arkansas Foundation now manages the endowment.
Joel had an authentic leadership style, genuinely cultivating others’ potential by recognizing their strengths and helping them excel in their roles, regardless of their position or department.
The award recipient is selected by a committee of employees based on nominations submitted by their coworkers. Contributions exceeded the endowment’s initial goal, enabling the winner to receive $800 — half allocated for professional development and half as a cash prize.
The seventh Joel Smith Leadership Award (JSLA) was presented to Sandy Coble, Hospitality Supervisor of Housekeeping, on Dec. 3, 2025.
Sandy received nominations from almost every department, describing her as open, honest, and thoughtful.
“She genuinely connects with people.”
Joel Smith Leadership Award Nomination
“She’s steady, personable, and has a can-do attitude.”
Joel Smith Leadership Award Nomination
“She is an advocate for her team; a genuine connector who shows up with hospitality.”
Joel Smith Leadership Award Nomination
“Deeply connected to the mission and ‘our why.'”
Joel Smith Leadership Award Nomination
Another nomination mentioned that Sandy is “a go-to person” when you’re facing a challenge.
“Whether you’re brainstorming ideas or facing a pinch, Sandy offers sound advice and a ‘can-do’ attitude that lifts everyone around her,” the nomination also said.
Sandy accepted the award with gratitude and affection, taking a moment to introduce her family and crediting her mother for instilling the work ethic she carries.
“I do love my team…I love working with everybody, and I love working here. I have spent a lifetime here. It’s such a rewarding feeling to win a leadership award that my coworkers nominated me for. I have worked very hard to be someone who could lead and guide my team and others to be the best version of themselves so they can do good work.”
Sandy Coble
As one of the few people who knew and worked with Joel, our Executive Director/CEO, Janet Harris, expressed confidence that Joel “would be very, very proud” of her.
In the Institute’s “Meet Your Team” interview, Sandy explained that, back in 1998, she started by helping a friend with their housekeeping while they were on vacation, but she decided to stay. She is a native of Petit Jean Mountain and is very familiar with Governor Rockefeller’s legacy. Her in-laws worked for Winthrop, and other family members did as well.
Sandy takes pride in the work she and her team do to help unburden our guests and further the Institute’s mission.
“I feel that my team and I practice the Rockefeller Ethic daily. We are a team of people with very different personalities, ages, and backgrounds, so we put the Rockefeller Ethic to good use when issues arise,” said Sandy.
Reflecting on the past two decades at the Institute during the 20th anniversary staff video brought up many memories for Sandy and sparked conversations with her team.
“When I think about the last 20 years, I think about progress, moving forward, getting better each day, improving…over the years, for some of us that have been here, things have just improved, improved and gotten better,” she said.
